Trump doubles down on Merchan criticism, urges his removal from the case

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated his criticisms of Judge Juan Merchan and urged an appeals court to remove him from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecution of him for allegedly falsifying business records.

Bragg has charged Trump in connection with a 2016 payment his then-attorney, Michael Cohen, made to Stormy Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty and twice asked that Merchan, whom he has accused of a conflict of interest, recuse himself. Merchan has twice declined.

"The problem is that this Judge, Merchan, is TOTALLY COMPROMISED, CONFLICTED, AND CORRUPT, MAKING BIG MONEY OFF OF THIS SCAM AND ITS OUTCOME," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "He can’t render a fair decision, too much is at stake for him and the Democrats. The Appellate Division should remove him immediately!"

Trump attributed the case's progression to Merchan, before highlighting that "[v]irtually every Legal Analyst and Scholar said yesterday, at the end of the day, THAT THERE IS NO CASE, AND THAT THIS WITCH HUNT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN BROUGHT, AND SHOULD BE THROWN OUT NOW!!!"

"WHY WASN’T THIS HOAX BROUGHT SEVEN YEARS AGO, INSTEAD OF IN THE MIDDLE OF MY WINNING CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT — ELECTION INTERFERENCE," he concluded.

Trump has previously highlighted that Merchan's daughter, Loren Merchan, is employed with Authentic, a firm that boasts both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as clients.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.